Introducing BlogChain, A NEAR-native Platform For Independent Writers
The internet has evolved from Web1, a read-only format with zero visibility for content writers to Web2, a more interactive and social space, but with that, have come problems like centralization, censorship, higher barriers to entry, and more clickbait ad-incentivized content. Web3 is a more censorship-resistant iteration that aims to address the growing pains of Web2, by giving a voice back to the people through decentralization, more privacy, and security. Capsule Social has positioned itself at the heart of the evolution with Blogchain, a NEAR-native Web3 publishing platform created for independent writers, providing them with a decentralized, censorship-resistant, and user-friendly space to engage and grow their audience.
The Internet Today
A more interactive internet gave visibility to content creators, and rise to content-oriented careers like influencers, streamers, bloggers, and social media managers. Social platforms like YouTube, Patreon, Twitter, and Facebook (remember Hi5 and MySpace?) have become part of our daily lives, while data and tech companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta are primary custodians of the data and information we consume, share, and interact with because they own the majority of the servers on which this data is stored.
These companies and platforms arbitrarily use your collected personal data for tailored and personalized services such as running ads, marketing products, region-specific content, and tracking your location. Your data is also monetized by sharing or selling to third-party affiliates or other companies who need it.
By the same token, your content is implicitly moderated by highly restrictive and constraining platform policies and terms that ensure that you align with the platform’s position and produce only content that can be monetized or deemed ‘acceptable’. Given that your content lives on a server owned by the platform, it can be censored expressly or implicitly (shadow banning). This kills the freedom of expression and speech of many writers and content creators who are forced to tailor their content to fit more commercial-ready, platform-acceptable standards. Today’s internet is more interactive, with a lot of visibility to the content creators and writers, but it is also market-driven, heavily moderated, censorship-happy, and lacks transparency.
Blogchain, A New Platform For Independent Writers
Blogchain leverages blockchain technology and Web3 to usher in a more transparent and empowering experience for writers and content creators.
Blogchain’s mission is to protect the right to free speech of writers and content creators, by providing an independent platform where they can express themselves without fear of unfair moderation, censorship, or compensation. By leveraging the principles of blockchain technology and Web3, the platform is providing an autonomous, privacy-conscious, and censorship-resilient space for writers and content creators. For readers, you get to read and consume authentic undiluted content not pressured by politics, or corporate interests. Also, your content preferences are set by you and not proprietary ad-centric algorithms.
Core Features
Decentralized
What we’re building with Blogchain takes advantage of decentralization technology in order to allow you to retain more sovereignty over your content.” — Nadim Kobeissi
Built on the NEAR blockchain, Blogchain does not run on any centralized server but rather on IPFS nodes worldwide. The platform is completely serverless and peer-to-peer thanks to a hybrid IPFS (hosting) and OrbitDB (database) architecture This makes it impossible to censor or block content from the platform entirely.
Transparent
The NEAR blockchain runs on smart contracts, which means any activity on the platform is recorded on the ledger and can be viewed on a blockchain explorer. This ensures transparent accountability and moderation in the decision-making process of the platform owners and admin team.
Censorship-resistant
Blogchain is designed to provide a censorship-resistant shield to writers and content creators from political institutions, corporations, and agendas that may consider their content unacceptable, and also from the platform itself. In the event content is censored from the platform, or taken down by the government, the content can still remain accessible through other platforms thanks to IPFS decentralized nodes that peer it. All they have to do is set up a front-end and parse all the content from Blogchain.
Fair compensation
Another advantage of Blogchain over traditional content platforms is that it eliminates third-party service providers that handle transactions or distribute your content for a fee. On Blogchain, the writer and content creator is more in control of how they want to set up subscriptions and payment systems for their readers, meaning they get the compensation they deserve for their work.
User-friendly and Interactive
In addition to its security and autonomy, Blogchain is also user-friendly and social. Writers and content creators can interact with each other’s content through commenting, sharing, bookmarking, and reposting. Also, the user interface has the looks and feel of traditional Web2 social platforms with a few enhancements (reading time, invite codes, and more) that will look entirely familiar to users.
However, it is important to note that there is a difference between censorship-free and censorship-resistant. On Blogchain, there will be moderation and censorship if necessary for “truly objectionable” content, but all of it will be transparent because the decision-making process is recorded on a smart contract and can be viewed by everyone. Moreover, content that is stripped from the platform can always be accessed via IPFS.
Blogchain leverages blockchain technology and the principles of Web3 to give writers and content creators their voice without compromising their integrity or values, by providing a platform that is censorship-resilient, secure, decentralized, and social.
About Capsule Social
Capsule Social is a decentralized social network that builds innovative tools to enable decentralized discourse, starting with Blogchain, a web3 publishing platform for writers and content creators.
Don’t miss what Capsule social has in store for you, keep up with them on Twitter, Discord.
About NEAR
NEAR is a sharded, proof-of-stake layer-1 blockchain built for usability and scalability.
